Coming Up For Air | ✓

17 | sweater weather

"Right. Well, she's convincing that one. Would make a good lawyer. Angelina's lips lift into a fond smile as she sips her coffee. "How about you Stella? Want to tag along?"

"As much as I love a questionably violent game of soccer," Jake's voice travels into the room, having Stella glance in the direction of the doorway just as he appears before them—donned in gray and black runner apparel, his cheeks flushed from the outside. He leans a shoulder against the wide doorframe with a self-satisfied smile. "Stells and I already have plans."

She raises her brows, twisting in her seat. "We do?"

Jake's eyes catch on hers as she looks at him over her cup of coffee, an amused quirk to his lips as he lifts his shoulder in half-a-shrug. Her own smile widens, cheeks rounding with a chortled breath—the beginning pit in her stomach quickly exchanged by that of a butterfly's wings.

"We do."

"Another time then," Angelina pops another berry into her mouth, her gaze trailing her son as he strolls into the kitchen. "Oh God, have you gotten taller?"

Jake hugs a light arm around his mother's shoulder, stealing a raspberry out of the bowl. "Wouldn't think so, no," His gaze finds Stella's, the lines of his smile softening as a faint tint colors his cheeks. "Morning."

"Morning."

Geoffrey pours the last of the batter into the pan, assessing Jake's post-run state. "You better hurry up and hit the shower if you want to join us for breakfast."

"Ay ay," Jake takes a step back, about to turn on his heel as he pauses, rolling his lips together. "Stells?"

Stella straightens up ever so slightly. "Yeah?"

Jake shakes his head, gaze flickering to his parents as they begin to bring plates and drinking glasses out of the cupboards. "Nothing. I forgot."

They stare at one another a moment longer before Jake shakes his head again, as if to clear his mind—steering his steps for the upstairs. He's barely made it down the hallway as he throws a glance over his shoulder, catching Stella's gaze as he cocks his head to the side.

Lips parting, Stella's gaze flickers back to Angelina and Geoffrey.

"It's a bit chilly today, isn't it?" She says to no one in particular, despite feeling slightly flushed in her sleeveless linen top. Setting her cup of coffee down on the counter, she moves swiftly across the room, pressing her lips together to quell a small smile. "I think I'll fetch a sweater; be right back."

━ ♡♡♡ ━

Jake's arm brushes against Stella's as she steps into his bedroom, reaching past her to close the door.

Taking a step back, he lets his gaze flicker over her face. "How are you?"

"Good," Stella's lips twist into a faint, somewhat uncertain smile as she wanders into the room. Absentmindedly crossing her arms over her chest, she shoots him a sideways glance. "I'm good. You?"

"Me?"

"Yes: you. How did your run go?"

"Good, I guess."

Nodding once, Stella lets her gaze roam over the room. She's only been up here once before: during their tour of the house in her first day here. It hasn't changed much since Jake left for school, Angelina had told her. A few paperbacks stood upon the wide windowsill, his half-unpacked duffel bag haphazardly draped over his desk and the back of his desk-chair, an Ace East High School calendar still hung over his wooden dresser—forever entrapping them in the school year of 2016 and-2017.